Kidd-Johnson optimistic about reclaiming father's seat

ALAMOGORDO  With early voting and one precinct still to be counted, State Senate District 34 candidate Dion Kidd-Johnson is still optimistic about the race for the seat her father once held.

Former Alamogordo mayor Ron Griggs was leading in the Republican primary 1,644 (57.3 percent) to Kidd-Johnson's 1,224 (42.7 percent). Griggs received 1,306 votes in Otero County and Kidd-Johnson had 785, while Eddy County voted 338 for Griggs and 439 for Kidd-Johnson. Dona Ana results were not available as of press time.

Griggs said he believes the race is not over until it's over.

"Being in the lead over here doesn't mean it's over," he said. "You feel far better being ahead than behind. Because it's not over, you're still concerned on how it can turn out. These races are always hard, whether it's for a senate seat or city commission seat."

Griggs was first elected to the Alamogordo City Commission in a special at-large election in August 1999 after the passing of his father.

Kidd-Johnson said she believes the election is not over because there were still precincts that hadn't reported their results as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"I was in it 100 percent and did the best I could to get elected," she said. "We're still waiting for precincts in Chaparral and Dona Ana. Chaparral has quiet a few registered Republican voters. At this point, I have 100 percent faith in the voters that they will vote for a change.

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Change being no corporate welfare or big government. We're ending the night still hopeful."

Kidd-Johnson is the daughter of former Republican District 34 Sen. Don Kidd, a Carlsbad banker, who served in the state Senate for 12 years and retired in 2004.

Kidd-Johnson is currently the president, chief operating officer and chief lending officer of Western Bank in Alamogordo.